torque of the town
by tvkeshi
Summary: He had never been good at school or sports or cooking or rather anything that one was expected to have. Without cars, he was nothing – even if his friends would argue otherwise. Possibly Yakuza Boss!Tsuna Drifting!AU pt.3


For as long as he could remember – and even before then – he was surrounded by cars. One of his earliest memories is sitting in his mother's lap in Raitoningue Mota while she talked to Verde about his latest project.

His mother Sawada Hanako – or Nana – had been the seventh generation boss of Tian-kai a group of hashiriya that were probably actually yakuza – they were, even if they would deny it to the grave.

If his mother had not been who she was, his life would have been much different. He had never been good at school or sports or cooking or rather anything that one was expected to have. Without cars, he was nothing – even if his friends would argue otherwise.

Fortunately, as it was, Nana had passed the baton to him after he graduated high school and he became the official leader of the Tian-Kai.

He worked part time out of Reborn and Verde's shop and spent the rest of his time possibly managing a criminal empire.

Tsuna watched Lambo exit his office – a room on the split story of the shop – with a sigh rubbing the bridge of his nose. The kid had been begging him to race the touge all week and he would never have caved if it wasn't for Reborn being the facilitator – everyone minded themselves at Reborn's races or they dearly regret the consequences.

Fortunately, the touge they frequented was on Namimori Mountain and as the mountain was located directly on the border of Namimori and Kokuyo where law enforcement never touched it in fear of upsetting the each other.

Lambo was generally only permitted to race on closed courses – never on the streets – since he was 15 and didn't actually have a license.

God forbid, he got taken in – Tsuna wasn't sure what they would do. Lambo's guardians were technically in Italy and had washed their hands of him about 10 years prior when he left to Japan with Bianchi.

It would be a mess.

But, if worse came to worse, Hana-chan was a licensed lawyer.

He looked up to see Takeshi framed in his door way smiling fondly.

They had met when they were children through their parents – Tsuyoshi was an associate of Nana's back when she still drove.

"Now I have to go tonight," he had been planning on staying in and catching up on work.

Takeshi laughed and Tsuna glared half-heartedly.

"Kyoya will be pleased."

"Kyoya doesn't do pleased, Takeshi."

He pushed off the doorway and approached Tsuna's desk, "He loves it when you watch him drift."

Tsuna scoffed, "Try to get him to admit that."

He shrugged with a smile and rounded the desk.

Tsuna grunted when Takeshi rested his head on top of his but otherwise resumed his work – he was used to it, Takeshi had always been overly physical.

"You haven't eaten yet," it wasn't a question.

"I have not."

Takeshi raised his head and spun Tsuna's chair so that it faced him, "Let's go to lunch."

"Takeshi-"

"We could probably convince Hayato to join us, if you want."

Tsunayoshi looked up at his partner in crime eyes instantly drawn to the deep scar on the man's chin.

When they were fifteen and working at Raitingue Mota after school, Takeshi had fallen down the stairs and busted his chin open on the railing.

He had to get four stitches.

It was humorous – in retrospect – that the graceful man before him had managed to scar himself so badly falling down the stairs.

Tsuna sighed, "Where do you want to go?"

* * *

By the time they returned to the shop, Reborn and Verde were gone and Kyoya was starting his car.

"Kyoya! Headed to the touge?" Tsuna called over the engine.

The man nodded but otherwise didn't say anything.

He was an odd but impeccably dressed individual.

"I'll be at the finish line!" Tsuna waved as the vehicle left the shop.

He wandered up the stairs to begin closing up shop only to find Hayato looking frantic.

They hadn't been able to find their friend before they had left for lunch and the man took Tsuna's safety perhaps too seriously.

"Tsuna-sama! Where have you been?!" he reeked of cigarettes – more so than usual – and looked completely frazzled.

It had taken years to get his friend to actually refer to him by name and not by his title. The suffix was Hayato's idea of a compromise.

"Calm down, Hayato," he raised his hands in a placating gesture. "We just went to a late lunch."

Hayato immediately began to look him over for injuries and god only knows what.

Fortunately, before his check could become anymore invasive, Takeshi entered the office with a smile.

"Maa, Hayato. You look a little stressed," he laughed.

"You, you-" Hayato sputtered rounding on him.

Takeshi just continued to laugh.

"I'm fine, Hayato. Takeshi went out with me."

Hayato instantly deflated. Even though he was constantly at odds with the tall Japanese man, he trusted him with Tsuna's life – something he valued above his own.

"Have you closed up yet?"

"I closed up the front, the garages, and the downstairs office. Only thing left to do is lock up your office."

"When you're done with that, meet us our back. I'll drive today."

* * *

Tsuna was inordinately proud of his car. It was a bright orange 1991 Toyota MR2 Turbo that Verde and Reborn had gifted him when he became head of Tian-Kai.

He would always remember what Reborn said when Verde presented him with the keys, _"You're going to be great, Tsunayoshi."_

He adored the car and although it wasn't his only one, it was his first.

The color was almost painful to look at – as Verde's personal paint jobs tended to be – but the car itself was fantastic.

And it was big enough for the three of them as long as Hayato was in the back – Takeshi's legs were much too long to fit anywhere but the front.

They raced up the back side of the mountain wide grins on his and Takeshi's faces while Hayato hung on for dear life.

The man was a crazy driver on his own but barely had a stomach for anyone else's driving – especially Bianchi's.

He had always loved the races.

His mom liked to say it was because she still raced in the months before he was born.

Regardless of the reason, the races were like a second home to him.

He embraced every aspect, the smell of gasoline, the bustling crowd, and the terrible music.

Tsuna leaned against his car with Takeshi and Hayato waiting for Lambo to appear.

Kyoya had finished moments prior and had smirked wildly when he met Tsuna's eyes.

He would never admit it but he loved it when Tsuna saw him race.

"There he is," Takeshi spoke directly into his ear.

Lambo pulled up towards them shaking a fist out his window and smiling broadly.

Tsuna leaned into Takeshi's side.

"I am never letting him ride this again."

The other chuckled.

"You know you will."


End file.
